A37049:496
A37049:496
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This Command the Lord presseth with a Threatening, that it may be known that he is in earnest, and will reckon with men for the breaches of it: The scope of it, is, To have the Name of the Lord Sanctified, Hallowed, and had in reverence by all his people, and so every thing eschewed that may be dishonourable to that Holy Name, and which may make Him, as it were, contemptible; this scope is clear from Levit. 22. v. 32. where having forbidden the profaning of his Name, he addeth this positive precept, as opposite thereto; But I' will be Hallowed among the Children of Israel; So then, its that he himself may be Hallowed and had in reverence amongst them, as Psal. 89.7. and 111.9 And so this Command is much more extensive then at first view it appeareth; the scope thereof, being to keep the heart in a holy awe and reverence of God, and so in a holy way of using, and rev •rend way of going about every thing which concerneth Him.
THis Command the Lord presseth with a Threatning, that it may be known that he is in earnest, and will reckon with men for the breaches of it: The scope of it, is, To have the Name of the Lord Sanctified, Hallowed, and had in reverence by all his people, and so every thing eschewed that may be dishonourable to that Holy Name, and which may make Him, as it were, contemptible; this scope is clear from Levit. 22. v. 32. where having forbidden the prophaning of his Name, he addeth this positive precept, as opposite thereto; But I' will be Hallowed among the Children of Israel; So then, its that he himself may be Hallowed and had in reverence amongst them, as Psal. 89.7. and 111.9 And so this Command is much more extensive then at first view it appeareth; the scope thereof, being to keep the heart in a holy awe and reverence of God, and so in a holy way of using, and rev •rend way of going about every thing which concerneth Him.
For more clear handling of it, let us consider, 1. What is meant by the Name of God. 2. What is meant, by taking that Name of God in vain.
1. By the Name of God, is often understood GOD himself; for to call on God's Name and on Himself are one. 2 Properly hereby is understood his Titles, attributed to him in Scripture; as God, Jehovah the Lord, Holy, Just, &c. or such Titles as signify that excellent Being which we call God. 3. More ⟨p. 122⟩largely it is taken for whatsoever he maketh use of, for making of himself known, seeing otherways he hath no name; but what ever Title He taketh to himself, or what-ever thing he maketh use of, thereby to make himself known, that is his Name; such are 1. His At tributes, Me •cy, Justice, Omnipotency, &c. which Exod. 34.36, 37. are called his Name. 2. His Word or Gospel, called his Name, Act. 9.15. 3. His Ordinances, Sacraments, Math. 28.19. Discipline and Censures, which are the exercise of his Authority, Math. 18.20. 1 Cor. 5.4. 4. Prayer is a piece of his Name; He is a God that heareth Prayer, Psal. 63.2. 5. His Works, Rom. 1.20, 21. 6. All his Worship, Deut. 12.5. Exod. 20.24. 6. Lots, Act. 1.26. By these God maketh himself (when he thinketh sit) known in his Will, as he doth by his Word. 7 Profession of subjection to him; so they that profess this, are said to bear his Name, and it should be reverently used, as all actions which make himself or his Will and Decree (which is himself) known, as Lots do, Pov. 16.33.
1. By the Name of God, is often understood GOD himself; for to call on God's Name and on Himself are one. 2 Properly hereby is understood his Titles, attributed to him in Scripture; as God, Jehovah the Lord, Holy, Just, &c. or such Titles as signifie that excellent Beeing which we call God. 3. More
By all these God is to be known, and something of him may be seen, and we take under Name here all these to be comprehended: The first, because the scope is to Hallow himself in Obedience to all that he Commandeth, as appeareth, Levit. 22.31, 32. and the first Petition in the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy Name, being compared with the other two that follow, cleareth it. The second is properly and primarily in the very letter here understood. The third cometh in by native consequence for attaining the scope of the Command, so that there is neither word nor work of God, but all relateth to this.
The Second thing to be cleared, is, What is meant by taking his Name in vain. To take his Name (as it's Psal. 50.16. and 16.4.) is to mention any of those things before spoken of (which are so many pieces of his Name) or any way to meddle with them in thought, word, or deed, as by writing, or otherwise: In vain doth not only comprehend, 1. False Swearing, or Blaspheming, Charming, and what is wrong as to the matter: Nor 2. Only propane abusing of the Lords Name when the matter is right, by rashness, precipitancy, frequency in Swearing: Nor 3. Doth it only mean unnecessary Swearing when it may be forborne: But 4. In vain is also when it's not mentioned ⟨p. 123⟩or made use of to good purpose, that is, •o God's honour, the edification of others and of our selves; so when ever God's name is any way meddled with without fruit, its in vain.
The Second thing to be cleared, is, What is meant by taking his Name in vain. To take his Name (as it's Psal. 50.16. and 16.4.) is to mention any of those things before spoken of (which are so many pieces of his Name) or any way to meddle with them in thought, word, or deed, as by writing, or otherwise: In vain doth not only comprehend, 1. False Swearing, or Blaspheming, Charming, and what is wrong as to the matter: Nor 2. Only propane abusing of the Lords Name when the matter is right, by rashness, precipitancy, frequency in Swearing: Nor 3. Doth it only mean unnecessary Swearing when it may be forborn: But 4. In vain is also when it's not mentioned ⟨p. 123⟩or made use of to good purpose, that is, •o God's honour, the edification of others and of our selves; so when ever God's name is any way medled with without fruit, its in vain.
The scope of this Command then we take to be, To press the manifesting of reverence to God. 1. In a high esteem of his holy Majesty. 2 In a reverent use of all his Ordinances in the right way appointed by him. 3. In a good Conversation adorning this doctrine of the Gospel, and keeping his blessed Name, that is named over us, from being evil spoken of, or con•emned by others, because of us, Rom. 2.24. 4. And more especially (that God may be honoured) in a right, reverend, and edifying using of his N •me in thinking, speaking, praying, reading, writing, swearing, vowing, &c. and abstaining from all irreverence in these, unbecoming the greatness of God, and using each of them reverently, when called to go about them.
If it be asked what the mentioning of God's Name reverently is? • take these rules to clear it:
1. It is necessary that the matter be lawful in which his Name is mentioned; by this all Heretics, Charmers, Cursers, Forswearers, and Blasphemers, are grossly guilty of sinning against this Command.
1. It is necessary that the matter be lawful in which his Name is mentioned; by this all Heretiques, Charmers, Cursers, Forswearers, and Blasphemers, are grosly guilty of sinning against this Command.
2. It is required that the matter be not only lawful, but important, and of some weight: hence Lotting for a thing of nought, or Swearing in a thing of no importance, are an abusing of the Name of God, and a tempting of him.
3. It is required that the matter be necessary also; for if a thing may be decided other-ways, it ought to be neither by Lotting nor Swearing; hence in the Hebrew, to Swear is still used in the passive voice, to show that men ought not to Swear but when they can do no otherwise, and when a lawful call presseth to it.
3. It is required that the matter be necessary also; for if a thing may be decided other-ways, it ought to be neither by Lotting nor Swearing; hence in the Hebrew, to Swear is still used in the passive voyce, to shew that men ought not to Swear but when they can do no otherwise, and when a lawful call presseth to it.
5. A good end is to be proposed, namely one of these three, God's Honour, the good of others, or our own necessary vindication in something, that so it be not taken to no purpose.
There is this difference betwixt this Command and others; in other Commands, God expresseth the highest degree of every kind of sin, to scare men from the breaches of these Commands; ⟨p. 124⟩here he mentioneth not Forswearing or Blasphemy, but taking the •ord's Name in vain▪ which is the lowest degree of that kind; that by this God may teach us what reverence we owe to Him, and of what large extent the Command is, and how careful he would have us to be, lest we should come upon the borders of any thing that seemeth to be a breach of it.
If it be asked, Why the Lord is so peremptory in urging this Command, and in pressing the thing here commanded in the very lightest?
If it be asked, Why the Lord is so peremptory in urging this Command, and in pressing the thing here commanded in the very leightest?